1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information reproducing apparatus and an information reproducing method, and more particularly relates to an information reproducing apparatus and an information reproducing method for carrying out a reproduction control in which the reproduction is stopped in accordance with a command from an external portion during reproduction of information from an information record medium, and after that, the reproduction is resumed.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, an information reproducing apparatus for reproducing an information recorded on an optical disc such as CD (Compact Disc) has been generalized.
As the optical disc that has been generalized in recent years, there is DVD on which a video information and an audio information corresponding to about one movie are recorded. In the information reproducing apparatus for reproducing the information from the DVD, the information read from the DVD is once stored in a buffer memory referred to as a track buffer memory. Then, a necessary amount of the information is outputted to a decoder to carry out a decoding process, so that the information is reproduced.
On the other hand, conventionally, there is a reproducing manner referred to as a continuation reproduction, in which the reproduction is stopped in accordance with a command from an external portion during the reproduction of information from the optical disc. Then, the reproduction is resumed from information following the stopped information.
When the continuation reproduction is carried out in the information reproducing apparatus for the DVD, the reproduction is stopped after a record position (address information) on the DVD of last information out of the information that is actually reproduced and outputted as an image or a sound is stored. Then, a new information is read from the stored record position at the time of resumption of reproduction, so that it is decoded to resume the reproduction.
In the conventional continuation reproduction, the information accumulated in the track buffer memory is perfectly erased at the time of stop of the reproduction. Then, the information read from the record position is newly accumulated at the time of the resumption of the reproduction, so that it is outputted to the decoder for the decoding processing.
However, according to the continuation reproduction method in the conventional information reproducing apparatus, at the time of the resumption of the reproduction, the stored record position is retrieved on the DVD. Then, the information is read from the retrieved record position. Moreover, the read information is accumulated in the track buffer memory. After its accumulation amount becomes equal to a predetermined accumulation amount, the decoding/reproducing processing is started to output the actual image or sound. Thus, this results in a problem that it takes a long time to actually output the image or the sound after a user indicates the resumption of the reproduction.
The present invention is proposed in view of the above mentioned problems. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an information reproducing apparatus and an information reproducing method which after stop of reproduction of information, when the reproduction is resumed from information following information outputted at the time of the stop, an actual information can be quickly outputted to resume the reproduction.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by an information reproducing apparatus in accordance with the present invention. The information reproducing apparatus is provided with: a reading device for reading reproduction information recorded in an information record medium; a buffering device for temporarily accumulating the read reproduction information therein and outputting it; and a reproduction controlling device for stopping reproducing the reproduction information while maintaining the reproduction information in the buffering device when a command indicative of stop of reproduction is requested from an external portion during the reproduction of the reproduction information, and outputting the reproduction information accumulated in the buffering device to resume reproducing it when a command indicative of resumption of the reproduction is requested from the external portion.
According to the information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, the reading device reads reproduction information recorded in the information record medium. Then, the buffering device temporarily accumulates the read reproduction information therein and outputs it to the reproduction controlling device. The reproduction controlling device start reproducing the reproduction information. However, when the command indicative of the stop of the reproduction is requested from the external portion during the reproduction of the reproduction information, the reproduction controlling device stops reproducing the reproduction information while maintaining the reproduction information in the buffering device. Further, when the command indicative of the resumption of the reproduction is requested from the external portion, the reproduction controlling device outputs the reproduction information accumulated in the buffering device to resume reproducing it.
Therefore, when the reproduction of the reproduction information is resumed, reproduction information following the reproduction information outputted at the time of the stop of the reproduction can be quickly outputted to resume the reproduction.
In one aspect of the information reproducing apparatus of the present invention, a monitoring device monitors an accumulation amount of the reproduction information in the buffering device. Further, the reproduction controlling device stops reading the reproduction information from the information record medium when the accumulation amount of the reproduction information reaches a reference accumulation amount after the stop is indicated, in case where the accumulation amount in the buffering device is less than the reference accumulation amount when the stop of the reproduction is indicated, the reference accumulation amount predetermined on the basis of an output of the reproduction information from the buffering device at the time of the resumption of the reproduction.
According to this aspect, if the stop of the reproduction is indicated when the accumulation amount of the reproduction information is less than the reference accumulation amount, the operation for reading the reproduction information is stopped after the accumulation amount is increased to the reference accumulation amount. Thus, it is possible to reserve the accumulation amount of the reproduction information necessary for the first output when the reproduction is resumed. Hence, the output of the reproduction information is never disconnected at the time of the reproduction.
In another aspect of the information reproducing apparatus, a stop information outputting device outputs predetermined stop information to the external portion during the stop of the reproduction. Further, the reproduction controlling device starts outputting the reproduction information accumulated in the buffering device to the external portion instead of the stop information when a servo control required to read the reproduction information from the information record medium can be resumed at the time of resumption of the reproduction of the reproduction information.
According to this aspect, the output of the accumulated reproduction information is started instead of the stop information, prior to the actual start of the servo control. Thus, the reproduction information can be outputted further quickly when the reproduction is resumed.
In another aspect of the information reproducing apparatus, the reproduction controlling device starts outputting the reproduction information when a servo control required to read the reproduction information from the information record medium can be resumed if the accumulation amount of the reproduction information in the buffering device is less than the reference accumulation amount, and starts outputting the reproduction information before the servo control can be resumed if the accumulation amount of the reproduction information is equal to or greater than the reference accumulation amount.
According to this aspect, if the accumulation amount of the reproduction information is less than the reference accumulation amount, the output of the accumulated reproduction information is started instead of the stop information when the servo control can be resumed. Also, if the accumulation amount of the reproduction information is equal to or greater than the reference accumulation amount, the output of the accumulated information is started instead of the stop information before the servo control can be resumed. Thus, it is possible to resume outputting the information further quickly while preventing the reproduction information from stopping.
In another aspect of the information reproducing apparatus, a decoder decodes the reproduction information outputted from the buffering device. Then, a record position of the reproduction information on the information record medium, which is completely decoded by the decoder when the stop of the reproduction is indicated, is stored in a non-volatile storage device. Further, the reproduction controlling device resumes reading the reproduction information from the stored record position and then resume reproducing the reproduction information, if a supply of an electric power source to the information reproducing apparatus is cut off for the duration from the time when the stop of the reproduction is indicated to the time when the resumption of the reproduction is indicated.
According to this aspect, even if the supply of the electric power source to the information reproducing apparatus is cut off for the duration from the time when the stop of the reproduction is indicated to the time when the resumption of the reproduction is indicated, the reproduction can be resumed from the reproduction information following the reproduction information reproduced at the time of the stop.
In another aspect of the information reproducing apparatus, the information record medium is an optical disc.
According to this aspect, when the reproduction is resumed after the stop of the reproduction of the reproduction information from the optical disc, it is possible to quickly start the output of the reproduction information to resume the reproduction of the reproduction information.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by an information reproducing method in accordance with the present invention. The information reproducing method is provided with the processes of: reading reproduction information recorded in an information record medium; temporarily accumulating the read reproduction information in a buffering device; stopping reproducing the reproduction information while maintaining the reproduction information in the buffering device when a command indicative of stop of reproduction is requested from an external portion during the reproduction of the reproduction information; and outputting the reproduction information accumulated in the buffering device to resume reproducing it when a command indicative of resumption of the reproduction is requested from the external portion.
According to the information reproducing method of the present invention, the reproduction information recorded in the information record medium is read and temporarily accumulated in the buffering device. Then, it is reproduced. However, when the command indicative of the stop of the reproduction is requested from the external portion during the reproduction of the reproduction information, the reproduction is stopped while the reproduction information is maintained in the buffering device. Also, when the command indicative of the resumption of the reproduction is requested from the external portion, the reproduction information accumulated in the buffering device is outputted and the reproduction is resumed.
Therefore, when the reproduction of the reproduction information is resumed, reproduction information following the reproduction information outputted at the time of the stop of the reproduction can be quickly outputted to resume the reproduction.
In one aspect of the information reproducing method, an accumulation amount of the reproduction information in the buffering device is monitored. Then, the reading of the reproduction information from the information record medium is stopped when the accumulation amount in the buffering device is less than a reference accumulation amount after the stop of the reproduction is indicated, in case where the accumulation amount of the reproduction information reaches the reference accumulation amount when the stop of the reproduction is indicated. The reference accumulation amount is predetermined on the basis of an output of the reproduction information from the buffering device at the time of the resumption of the reproduction.
According to this aspect, when the resumption of the reproduction is indicated after the stop of the reproduction of the reproduction information, it is possible to reduce the time until the output of the information is actually resumed.
In another aspect of the information reproducing method, predetermined stop information is outputted to the external portion during the stop of the reproduction. Then, outputting the reproduction information accumulated in the buffering device to the external portion is started instead of the stop information when a servo control required to read the reproduction information from the information record medium can be resumed at the time of resumption of the reproduction of the reproduction information.
According to this aspect, if the stop of the reproduction is indicated when the accumulation amount of the reproduction information is less than the reference accumulation amount, the operation for reading the reproduction information is stopped after the accumulation amount is increased to the reference accumulation amount. Thus, it is possible to reserve the accumulation amount of the reproduction information necessary for the first output when the reproduction is resumed. Hence, the output of the reproduction information is never disconnected at the time of the reproduction.
In another aspect of the information reproducing method, the process of starting outputting the reproduction information starts outputting the reproduction information when a servo control required to read the reproduction information from the information record medium can be resumed if the accumulation amount of the reproduction information in the buffering device is less than the reference accumulation amount, and starts outputting the reproduction information before the servo control can be resumed if the accumulation amount of the reproduction information is equal to or greater than the reference accumulation amount.
According to this aspect, if the accumulation amount of the reproduction information is less than the reference accumulation amount, the output of the accumulated reproduction information is started instead of the stop information when the servo control can be resumed. Also, if the accumulation amount of the reproduction information is equal to or greater than the reference accumulation amount, the output of the accumulated information is started instead of the stop information before the servo control can be resumed. Thus, it is possible to resume outputting the information further quickly while preventing the reproduction information from stopping.
In another aspect of the information reproducing method, the reproduction information outputted from the buffering device is decoded. Then, a record position of the reproduction information on the information record medium is stored in a non-volatile storage device. The reproduction information is completely decoded when the stop of the reproduction is indicated. Further, if a supply of an electric power source to the information reproducing apparatus is cut off for the duration from the time when the stop of the reproduction is indicated to the time when the resumption of the reproduction is indicated, reading the reproduction information from the stored record position is resumed, and then reproducing the reproduction information is resumed.
According to this aspect, even if the supply of the electric power source to the information reproducing apparatus is cut off for the duration from the time when the stop of the reproduction is indicated to the time when the resumption of the reproduction is indicated, the reproduction can be resumed from the reproduction information following the reproduction information reproduced at the time of the stop.
In another aspect of the information reproducing method, the information record medium is an optical disc.
According to this aspect, when the reproduction is resumed after the stop of the reproduction of the reproduction information from the optical disc, it is possible to quickly start the output of the reproduction information to resume the reproduction of the reproduction information.